Second Article Of Faith All throughout their history, the Hebrew people

looks back on their salvation by God from the

"I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY
slavery of Egypt as an infallible sign of God's
SON, OUR LORD.”
loving kindness and His fidelity to His
God Promised a Redeemer: (Proto- promises. And so, they began to look forward
evangelium) to the day when His divine purpose would be
fulfilled perfectly.
Immediately after the fall of sin, God promised
a Redeemer to Adam and Eve. He forgave Through the prophets, it was revealed to Israel
man, although He had not forgiven the rebel that this saving plan of god would be
angels. He was far more merciful to man than accomplished through an individual, one
to the angels. In making the promise, God especially sent by God to establish peace and
spoke of the Blessed Virgin, who was to be the justice on earth.
Saviors mother. This Savior whom God will
Likewise, the prophet Isaiah tried to convince
send into the world to of free man from sins
the people of his time that God was with them
and to reopen to him the gates of heaven, was
and that they should put their trust in Him As a
an included in the condemnation of the
sign of His presence among them, he
"serpent", the symbol of evil power. Ove "I will
announced the birth of the Royal Child. "The
put enmity between you and the woman,
virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and
between your seed and her seed. He shall
shall name him Emmanuel," (Is. 7:14), and
crush your head, and you shall lie wait for his
would sit upon the throne of David, his father.”
heel." tid (Gen. 3:15). The "seed" of the woman
refers to Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Jeremiah, too, disgusted with the wickedness
Son of Mary. of the Israelite kings, predicted that God would
"raise up a 'righteous shoot' to David as king
God Prepared His People: (Old Testament
He shall reign and govern wisely, He shall do
Outlines)
what is right and just in the land." (Jer. 23:5)
Man had to be prepared gradually for the
When Jerusalem fell and the people were
coming of such a tremendous act of salvation.
driven into exile, they realized that "they were
This need is obvious when we consider that
suffering for their sins." Then they began to
even today, two thousand years after Jesus
understand that "all sins must be expiated by
Christ's victory through His passion, death, and
suffering." Now, the description of the One who
resurrection, there are many who refuse to e s
was to come show him as a 'suffering servant'
acknowledge that victory. Even the Hebrew
of God. "Spurned and avoided by men, a man
people, who did have the faith in the one true
of suffering accustomed to infirmity... He was
God, failed to recognize the messianic
pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins...
character in Jesus Christ, when He finally
by his stripes we were healed." (Is. 53:3-5).
came.
Thus did Almighty God prepare His people
First of all, God revealed Himself in a
gradually, through history, for a clearer
wonderful way at the Exodus from Egypt. He
understanding of His plan, purifying the
showed them that He was a saving God. In
Messianic idea of its earthly notions and paving
response to these saving acts of God, the
the way for the acceptance of the Savior.
people under the leadership of Moses,
dedicated themselves wholly to Him at Mt. The Fulfillment: At the appointed time, God
Sinai. There, they were constituted as His sent His angel Gabriel to announce the birth of
people. the Promised Messiah, (cfr. Luke Chapter 1),
His only begotten Son who would free His
people from their sins.
Jesus Christ is the Savior of All Men:
The four Gospels, and especially that of St.
Matthew, show that Jesus of Nazareth did fulfill
all the prophecies of the old testament. He is
the culminating point in a long history of
revelation, a revelation that gathers meaning
as it develops. He surpassed them and gave
them a richness of meaning that the human
authors of old could not have intended Jesus
Christ, therefore, and He alone, has perfectly
crushed the head of the "serpent". He has
gained the victory, through His passion, death
and resurrection, over sin and the power of
evil.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God made man
Jesus Christ Is God Made Man: The chief
teaching of the Catholic Church about Jesus
Christ is that He is God made Man. Jesus
Himself said that He is God. During His trial
before the Sanhedrin the high priest said to
him: "I adjure thee by the living God that thou
tell us whether thou art the Christ, the Son of
God." (Jesus did not retract from His former
claim but in answering He even confirmed it.
"Thou has said it.") (Matt. 26:63). In St. John
10:30, He declared, "I and the Father are one."
Christ proved His claims by:
1) wondering miracles
2) prophecies
3) His knowledge of all things
4) the holiness of His life
The Apostles plainly taught that Christ is God,
and they all died in testimony of their faith. St.
Paul says of Him: "In Him (Christ) dwells all the
fullness of the God-head bodily."
St. Peter made this declaration concerning
Christ: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the
Living God." St. Thomas, also affirmed: "My
Lord and my God."
Jesus Christ is called the only Son of God the
Father because He is God the Son, the
Second Person of the Blessed Trinity who is
the true and only Son of God the Father. rtt af
en Jesus Christ Is True God and True Man
Jesus Christ is true God because He is the
only Son God having the same divine nature
as His Father, "God so love the world that He
gave His only begotten Son." (John 3:16). "In
the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD
as with God, and the WORD was God... The
WORD was made flesh, and dwelt among us."
(John 1:1 14)
The Catholic Faith steadfastly professes that
Jesus is literally and truly God, the eternal Son
of the Eternal Father. At the Eucharistic
Liturgy, the Catholic Family professes its belief
in the central mystery of faith, the belief "in one
Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God
eternally begotten of the Father, God from
God, Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten not made, one in being with the
Father (Nicene Creed)
Other Bible Readings Pertaining to the
Godship of Jesus Christ:
John 20:28
John 11:25-26
Hebrew 1.8
Luke 5:20-25
Titus 2:13
John 10:30
2 Peter 1:1
Hebrew 12:23
Romans 9:5
Matthew 25:31
John 7:46
Colosians 1:16-17
John 8:58
Phillipians 2:10-11
John 14:11
John 1:2
Jesus Christ is True Man because He is the
Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He had a body
and soul like ours. The solemn teaching of the
Church has always confirmed the clear
teaching of Holy Scripture that Jesus is truly a
man. He did not merely appear to be a man.
He truly became one of us. Because He was to
be our Savior, Jesus "had to be made like His
brethren in every respect." (Heb. 2:17). "He
who is the image of the invisible God is Himself
the perfect man." (Col. 1:15). Jesus Christ work
with human hands; He loved with a human
heart; and He acted by human choice. Born of
the Virgin Mary, He has truly been made one of
us, like us in everything except sin.
Jesus Christ did not merely play at being an
infant and a child. He really shared our life. In
the weakness of infancy He was nursed and
cared for by His mother. He experienced the
growth of childhood years. "And Jesus
increased in wisdom, and in stature, and in
favor with God and man." (Luke 2:52).
He had not only a human body, but also a
human soul, a mind, a human will, and human
emotions, He shared our weaknesses. In His
apostolic labors, "He became wearied...with
His journey." (John 4:6) He knew what it was to
be thirsty (John 4:7); He knew what it was to
be hungry (Luke 4:2). He could be touched
with great sadness, "deeply moved in spirit and
troubled." (John 11:33). He had suffered and
been tempted ((Heb. 2:17-18). His heart was
moved with pity for the crowd (Matt. 15:32). He
wept over Jerusalem in sorrow (Luke 19:42).
In His passion, the reality of His humanity was
clearly evident. He suffered excruciating pain
of mind and body. In His agony He "began to
be greatly distressed and troubled. And He
said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even
unto death." (Mark 14:34). He suffered the
sharp physical pains of the scourging at the
pilar and the crucifixion; and He truly died.
After His resurrection He showed Himself in
His human reality to His disciples. "See My
hands and My feet, that it is Myself, touch Me
and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as
you see that I have." (Luke 24:39).
On no other historical person is it so important
to insist that He is truly man (cfr. 1 John 4:2).
The humanity of Christ is overwhelmingly to
prin important, because in Him, human nature
is most ennoble, and He the perfect pattern for
human living (cfr. Matt. 11:29), because
through His humanity He redeemed us; and
because He is far more than man
Bible Readings Pertaining to the Manship of
Jesus Christ:
Hebrew 2:17
John 4:6-7
Hebrew 2:17-18
Colosians 1:15
Mark 14:34
Luke 4:2
Luke 24:39
Matthew 15:32
John 11:33
Luke 2:52
1 John 4:2
Luke 19:42
Matthew 11:29 "I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST.....,
CONCEIVED BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY
SPIRIT, AND BORN OF THE BLESSED
Jesus Christ is One Person VIRGIN MARY."

Jesus is Man and Jesus is God. But Jesus is

One Person a Divine Person. Jesus Christ is
"Mary said to the angel: 'But how can this
both God and Man. "One and the same Christ,
come about, since I am a virgin?" "The Holy
Son, Lord, Only-begotten, must be
Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the
acknowledged in two natures, unconfused,
Most High will cover you with its shadow. And
unchangeable, undivided, inseparable."
so the child will be ho and will be called Son of
(Council of Chalcedon, Ses. 5, Oct. 22, 451,
God."" (Luke 1:34-35).
A.D.) Jesus always remains the Son of God,
which He is from all eternity; He took to himself
a human nature in time, and He remains a man
The Incarnation
forever. But Christ is one Divine Person, He is
both God and Man

Incarnation means "becoming flesh." By the

incarnation therefore, we mean that the Son of
The Name of the Son of God: Jesus Christ
God took a human body and so and united it to
The Name Jesus means "savior" or His Divine Person. Without ceasing to be God,
"redeemer." This name is given Him, as the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity
announced by the Archangel Gabriel to Mary, became man at the same time The divine
because He came to save men from sin, and to nature of Christ is from all eternity. Only his
open the doors of heaven to them human natu began at the Incarnation, when the
Son of God became man. "The Word was
The Name Christ means "The Anointed One."
made flesh and dwelt among us." (John
CHRIST is a Greek word, which has the same
meaning as "Messias" In the Old Testament, it
was a custom to anoint with oil the chosen
The Son of God was conceived and made man
prophets High priest, and Kings. Our Lord is
by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the womb of
the greatest of the prophets, He is the high
the Blessed Virgin Mary.The Incarnation is
priest who offers Himself, and He is the King of
peculiarly the work of the Blessed Trinity. They
heaven and earth. Therefore, it is fitting that we
form a human soul and a human body, and
call Him "Christ." He is truly the "Anointed One
these they united to the Second Person and
of Israel."
the result was our Lord Jesus Christ-- God-
Respect must be given to the name of Jesus. made-Man
We should say the name of the Lord with great
reverence. We should bow our head slightly
everytime we utter it. "In the name of Jesus,
every knee should bend of those that are in
heaven, and under the earth." (Phil. 2:10)

Third Article of faith

The Son of God was conceived and made man
on the Annunciation Day, the day on which the
Archangel Gabriel appeared and announced to
Mary that she was to be the Mother of God.
Mar knew that the angel was sent by God, so
she accepted her mission saying, "Behold the
handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me accord
a to your word." (Luke 1:38).
The Birth of Jesus Jesus Christ was born of the
Blessed Virgin Mary on Christmas Day, in
Bethlehem, a little town near the city of
Jerusalem, more than two thousand years ago.
Jesus was born in a stable, a poor place. He
preferred poverty and humiliation in order to
suffer more for us.
Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem in
obedience to the Emperor of Rome who had
commanded all his subjects to register in the
towns of their ancestors. Joseph and Mary
were both descended from king David whose
city was Bethlehem.
The birth of Jesus is celebrated throughout the
Christian World On December 25. This feast is
called Christmas, which word come From
"Christ" and "Mass." The feast is so called
because on that day The Mass
commemorating the birth of Christ is said:
a) Christ's eternal birth from the Father
b) Christ's temporal birth of the Blessed Virgin
Mary
c) Christ's spiritual birth in the hearts of men
Other circumstances surrounding the birth of
Jesus Christ are:
a) The Story of the Shepherds (cfr. Luke 2:1-
20)
b) The Story of the Three Magi (cfr. Matthew
2:1-12)
(Gaspar, Baltazar, Melchor)
c) The Story of the Flight into Egypt, and
d) The Story of the Massacre of the Innocent
Children
(Matthew 2:13-23) Dec. 28
e) The Story of the Circumcision (Luke 2:21)
f) The Story of the Presentation at the Temple
(Luke 2:22-38)
The Parents of Jesus
Jesus had a human mother, the Blessed Virgin
Mary, but He had no human father. The
Blessed Virgin Mary was Christ's mother
according to His human nature and not
according to His Divine Nature. She is truly the
mother of God, because the humanity and
divinity of her Son are inseparable.
St. Joseph was the legal spouse of Mary, but
both of them preserved their virginity,
consecrating it to God. They always lived
together as brother and sister. St. Joseph was
only the guardian or foster father of our Lord.
The Childhood of Jesus
Actually, the life of Jesus Christ may be divided
into three parts namely
a) His Childhood to the time when He was
twelve years of age
b) His Hidden Life to the time He started His
mission c) His Public Life to the time of His
death.
After the murder of the Holy Innocent, the Child
Jesus lived in Egypt with His mother and St.
Joseph until the death of Herod, then returned
with them to the Holy Land. The Holy Family
settled Nazareth From there, every year, Mary
and Joseph went to worship at the Temple of
Jerusalem. When Jesus was twelve years old,
He went with them to celebrate the Passover in
Jerusalem. Then Mary and Joseph left the city
to to Nazareth, but Jesus remained behind
without their knowledge.
"But thinking that He was in the caravan, they
had come to a day's journey before it occurred
to them to look for Him among their relatives
and acquaintances. And not finding Him, they
returned to Jerusalem in searched of Him."
(Luke 2:44-45). After three day's search, they
found Him in the Temple, in the midst of the
wise men there, listening and questioning
them. Mary told how great had been her grief
when she said: "Behold thy father and have
been seeking thee sorrowing." (Luke 2:48) But
Jesus replied: "How is it that you sought Me?
Did you not know that I must be about my
Father's business?" (Luke 2:49)
Jesus dearly loved Mary and Joseph, but He
did not hesitate to cause them pain and part
from them, in order to obey His heavenly
Father's will. In imitation of Him, many young
people leave home and their parents to enter
the priesthood or a religious congregation to
serve and dedicate their lives completely to
God.
The Question On The Brothers of Jesus (Matt.
13:35)hex Some non-catholics interpreters
insist that Jesus had brothers that He was not
the only Son of Mary. Those spoken of in the
Gospel as the "brethren of Our Lord, were His
blood relatives; it was the practice among the
Jews to call near relatives "brethren."
So Abraham called his nephew Lot in this
manner. "Let there be no quarrel between you
and me...for we are brothers." (Gen. 13:8) As
St. John Chrysostom wrote, Our Lord on the
cross would not have needed to commend His
mother to His Apostle John, if she had other
children.
The Hidden Life of Jesus
The hidden life of Jesus Christ lasted from His
return to Nazareth at the age of twelve until He
began His public ministry at the age of thirty.
At this point of Christ's life, all we directly read
from the Holy Bible are two statements:
a) "And He went down with them, and came to
Nazareth, and was subject to the." (Luke 2:51)
b) "And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age
and grace before God and man." (Luke 2:52)
In these two statements is contained the
history of the hidden life of Jesus Christ, the
God-man The hidden life of Jesus Christ is
for us a perfect model of obedience; "And He
was subject to them." The god of all created
things, almighty and infinite, was subject to two
poor and unknown mortals. He obeyed them in
all things, promptly. constantly, cheerfully, and
with great love. This period of Christ's life is
also a model of perfect humility. Jesus
"advanced in wisdom and grace before God
and men." Although He possessed all wisdom
and grace from the first moment of His mortal
life, He manifested them only gradually and in
a way that was in keeping with His age.
The Public Life of Jesus
Jesus Christ begun His public life when He
was about thirty years old. After spending long
years in obscurity and humble toil, Jesus next
entered upon a period of activity, going about
teaching publicly He left His home in Nazareth,
and began His public life by an act of great
humility, His baptism at the hands of St. John
the Baptizer in the river Jordan.
The Baptism of Jesus
St. John the Baptist was the forerunner or
precursor of Christ He spoke to the people of
the coming Messiah, and pointed Jesus out to
them as the "Lamb of God who will take away
the sins of the world." John the Baptist was put
to death by Herod, because of his wife
Herodias.
Jesus came to John to be baptized;
immediately afterwards, as Our Lord came out
of the water, the Holy Spirit came down upon
Him in the form of a dove, and a voice from
heaven was heard saying "This is my beloved
Son, in whom am well pleased." (Matt. 3:17)
After His baptism, Jesus went into the desert,
where He fasted for forty days and forty nights.
This teaches us to look upon baptism as a call
to penance, and to prepare for all kinds of
activity by prayer and mortification. The Lenten
period is intended to commemorate the forty-
day fast of Our Lord. Lent lasts from Ash
Wednesday till midnight of Holy Saturday.
After Our Lord's long fast, the devil was
permitted to tempt Him Christ rebuked the
devil, and angels came to minister unto Him.
From this temptation of Christ, we learn that a
temptation is not sinful. As long as we resist
the devil, we remain pleasing to God.
During the course of His Public Ministry, Christ
went about preaching, teaching, and doing
good. "He went round the whole of Galilee
teaching in their synagogue, proclaiming the
Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds
of diseases and sickness among th people."
(Matt. 4:23-24) "Go back and tell John what
you hear and see, the blind see again, and
lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf
hear, and the dead are raised to life again and
the Good News proclaimed to the poor; and
happy is the man who does not lose faith in
me." (Matt. 11:4-5)
Jesus Taught His Disciples
Jesus announced to the kingdom of God and
called them to a life of perfection. "Be ye
perfect, as my heavenly father is perfect." He
taught them the law of love taking the place of
the law of fear concerning the relationship we
must have with the Father.
Jesus summarized His teachings in the
Sermon on the Mount. (cfr. Matthew chapters 5
& 6) Jesus spoke in simple language and often
in Parables, comparing what He wanted them
to understand with common things of which
they were familiar.
Among the Parables of Christ are:
The Sower and the Seed
The Mustard Seed
The Pearl of Great Price
The Unmerciful Servant
The Laborers in the Vineyards
The Good Shepherd
The Lost Sheep
Dives and Lazarus
The Prodigal Son
The Pharisee and the Publican
The Good Samaritan
The Ten Bridemaids
Parable of the Talents
During the time of His public life, Jesus also
took care to prepare His apostles for their
future mission to carrying the Good News of
salvation to all the corners of the world till the
end of time. He choose twelve men who were
with Him continually, He promised the primacy
over all to one of them, Peter. And at the Last
Supper with these apostles He instituted the
Holy Eucharist, giving them, also the power to
change bread and wine into His Body and
Blood as He Himself had done.
Jesus Went About Doing Good
Jesus Christ supported His teachings with
good works and confirmed their faith in Him by
performing miracles. He cured the sick,
restored sight to the blind, speech to the mute,
life to the dead He made the lame walked
again etc...
Among the prominent miracles of Christ are:
He changed water into wine
He multiplied the loaves of bread
He calmed the storm at seat
He raised the dead to life
Instant care of the sick
Miraculous catch of fishes
He walk upon the waters
Evil spirits obeyed Him
As we read the four gospels, we notice the
effect that the words and deeds of Jesus had
on those who witnesses them. Many came to
know Him and loved Him more and more.
However, some, especially the Pharisees and
to envy His popularity to Him. Finally, this
hatred grew so strong that it led to the
condemnation of Jesus to death. But the love
of the many was stronger than hatred of the
few. And the mission of Jesus was continued
after His death and resurrection.
Christ's aim in His public life was to teach what
God requires all to believe and practice, so that
all may enter the kingdom of heaven. For this
purpose Christ instituted seven sacraments for
the sanctification of mankind. By His twelve
chosen apostles He established His Church,
which was to carry on His work after His death.
to continue teaching what He had openly and
publicly taught.
Fourth Article of faith
"HE SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE,
WAS CRUCIFIED, DIED AND WAS BURIED."
"We believe in Our Lord Jesus Christ, who is
the Son of God. Under Pontius Pilate He
suffered; the Lamb of God bearing the sins of
the world; and He died for us on the cross,
saving us by His redeeming blood.. We believe
that Our Lord Jesus Christ by the sacrifice of
the cross redeemed us from original sin and all
the personal sins committed by each one of us,
so that, in accordance with the word of the
Apostle, 'where sin abounds, grace did more
abound." (Romans 5:20).
By the REDEMPTION is meant that Jesus
Christ, as Redeemer of the whole human race,
offered His sufferings and death to God as a
fitting sacrifice in satisfaction for the sins of
men, and regained for them the right to be
children of God and heirs of heaven. A
redeemer is one who pays in order to get back
something that was lost.
The Necessity of the Passion
The passion of Our Lord was not something
which absolutely had to be. Certainly God did
not have to save man when he fell into sin. And
indeed, God could have saved man in nay of
many other ways. Has God so willed, He could
have accepted inadequate expressions of
human repentances and atonement for man's
sins, or indeed, He could simply have forgiven
the sin.
It was God's will, however, that redemption be
achieved in the most perfect and fitting way.
For this, it was necessary that the Son of God
should become man and suffer, It is in the
sense, then, that we speak of the necessity of
Jesus' passion and death.
Jesus Himself declared that He had to suffer to
bring us eternal life. "So must the Son of Man
be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may
have eternal life." (John 3:14-15). He had to
suffer, for His eternal Father willed that His
human nature, the crown and unifying bond of
all creation, should receive its glory as a fruit of
the cross. "Was it not necessary that the Christ
should suffer these things and enter into His
glory?" (Luke 24;26). Prophetic words had
foretold Christ's sufferings; the Gospels allude
to these often (especially Isaiah (Luke 53 and
Psalm 22). These prophecies were
expressions of God's will. and they had to be
fulfilled. "Everything written about Me in the
Law of Moses and the Prophets and the
Psalms must be fulfilled." 24;44).
Jesus as man, recognized the command He
had from the Father. "This charge have
received from My Father." (John 10:18). Jesus
freely accepted that which His Father's will
required. "For this reason the Father loves Me,
because lay down My life, that i may take it up
again... I lay it down of My own accord." (John
10:17-18). With free and obedient love, then,
He gave Himself to His father's will in the
passion. (cfr. Luke 22;42).lu on no to anja ent
not
Jesus Christ is a Perfect Redeemer and
Mediator
Jesus was sent into this world as a perfect
Redeemer. Though He is God, He is also truly
man, our brother. As the new Adam (cfr. 1 Cor.
15-45) and Head of the Mystical Body (cfr.
Eph. 1:22), He had profound solidarity with all
of us. He makes His disciples one Himself, as
a vine is one with its branches (cfr. John 15:5).
Since we are united with Him, His saving acts
can be our salvation. besbri bn
oup Because His humanity of One Who is the
Son of God, His saving acts of a Person Who
is God. They have superabundant value (cfr.
Romans 5:15-21), the Christ Jesus, Who is
God's true Son, is the only One who could offer
the Father a fitting atonement for sin.
lo? Here, we see the immensity of God's
saving mercy. Not only does He save us, but
He brings about salvation in a generous way,
and in a way that honors the humanity He
saves. In Christ, He allows a Man to bring Him
gifts worthy of salvation (cfr. Romans 5:15-21).
"Man had better for us to have been delivered
by Christ's passion than by God's will alone."
(Summa Theol. III, 46, 3).
Jesus is our Mediator. He Who is Himself God
and Man rescued man from his alienation and
misery and restored him to peace with the
Father.
The mediation Jesus achieved through His
passion is unique. Only He who is God and
Man could in such a way restore men to their
God. (Sum. Theol. III, 26, 1-2). Others may
place a role in His saving work, but only in a
secondary way, and in total dependence upon
Jesus, for He is the necessary way, and in total
dependence upon Jesus, for HE is the
necessary and indispensable Mediator of
peace. "For there is One God, and there is one
Mediator between God and Man, the Man
Christ Jesus." (1 Tim. 2:5).
Important Events Which Marked the End of
Our Lord's Life
His Solemn Entry into Jerusalem
His solemn entry into Jerusalem marked his
triumph. He entered Jerusalem riding on an
ass, with children waving palm leaves and
singing: "Hosanna! Blessings on the King of
Israel, who comes in the name of the Lord."
(John 12:13). The Last Supper
In each of the Gospels, the passion narrative
begins with an account of the Last Supper.
Christ, in this last moments with His Apostles,
clarified the meaning of His sufferings which
were then imminent, though His disciples were
not able to understand all these things until
after the resurrection (cfr. Luke 24:25). He
revealed the greatness of His saving love.
"Having loved His own who were in this world,
He loved them to the end. (John 13:1).
He instituted the Sacrament of the Holy
Eucharist. He made it clear that His death
would inaugurate a new and eternal covenant
between men and their God and that He, in His
cross and His saving mercy, always be present
to His disciples in His sacrifice of the Mass.
(cfr. Matt. 26:26-28).
At the Last supper, Christ also spoke with
clarity of the Father and of the Holy Spirit, for
by the cross He was to bring us to be children
of God in whom the Blessed Trinity would dwell
(cfr. John 14:9-26). then in words addressed to
the Father, He showed what the cross would
accomplish; the human unity in the God that it
would make possible (cfr. John 17: 1-16). bev
There, too, He promulgated a new
commandment: "A new command give you,
that you love one another, even as have loved
you, that you also love one another." (John
13:34). In the light of the cross, the forgiving,
sacrificing, utterly unselfish nature of His love
that brings peace to a broken world. "Peace I
leave with you; My peace! give to you." (John
14:27).
Agony in the Garden of Olive After the Last
Supper, Jesus went with His disciples to the
Mount of Olives, and there in a garden He
prayed to his Father. He began to feel fear of
the sufferings He was about to experience. "My
father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from
Me." (Matt. 26:39). So great was this anguish
that "His sweat became like great drops of
blood falling down upon the ground." (Luke
22:44). His human heart and will yet remained
steadfastly loyal to the Father: "Nevertheless,
not as will, but as You will." (Matt. 26:39).
Jesus' prayer in the Garden, honestly
expressing all the mental anguish He endured
for our sake, with full commitment to the
Father's will, is the perfect model of Christian
prayer in times of distress.
Betrayal by Judas Iscariote
ain Shortly after Jesus' prayer to His Father, a
band of armed men sent by the chief priest,
scribes, and elders came to the Garden to
arrest Him. They had been led there by Judas
Iscariote, who Jesus addressed gently: "Friend,
are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"
(Luke 22:49). Jesus also showed concern for
His disciples and urged that they be allowed to
go their way (cfr. John 18:8). Then the
disciples forsook Him and fled." (Matt. 26:56).
Trial before the Sanhedrin and the Denial of
Peter With great patience, Jesus underwent
unjust trials before the High Priest, Herod, and
Pontius Pilate. During and between these
trials, He was subjected to many humiliations.
He was the target of insults and mockery, He
was denied, as He Himself had foretold, three
times by Peter.
Jesus was cruelly scourged at the Pillar
Jesus was led to Pontius Pilate, the Roman
Governor of Judea, to have His sentence be
confirmed. At that time, the Jews were
forbidden by their Roman masters from putting
anyone to death without the confirmation of the
governor. Pilate, hoping to appease the High
Priest and leaders, had Jesus scourged. Jesus
was tied to a pillar, His clothes were torn off,
strong men with whips, cords, and straps with
iron spikes whipped Him. The whole body of
Jesus became as one great wound. Added to
this, Jesus was spat upon, and crowned with
thorns. "And the soldiers plaiting a crown of
thorns, put it upon His head, and clothed Him
in a purple cloak. And they kept coming to Him
and saying 'Hail, King of the Jews' and striking
Him. Jesus wearing the crown of thoms and
the purple cloak, was brought before the
people, and Pilate said to them, 'Behold the
man"" (John 19:2-5).
Jesus was sentenced to die
At last, fearing that if he did not permit Jesus to
be put to death the high priest and leaders
would accuse him before Caesar, Pilate gave
in to their insistence to sentence Him to die on
the cross.
Jesus was made to carry His cross A heavy
wooden cross was laid upon the shoulders of
Jesus and was let through the streets of
Jerusalem to Mount Calvary outside the city of
Jerusalem.
The Cruxifixion
Arriving at calvary, the soldiers nailed Jesus to
His cross and was lifted up from the ground.
Upon the cross, Jesus suffered extreme pain,
loneliness and desolation, the sorrow of seeing
unfathomable sorrow in one most deeply loved,
His mother Mary. Even in the terrible torment in
those hours, Jesus, the Son of God and High
Priest of our salvation, remained patience and
greatness in soul. Some insights into His mind
and heart may be gained from His seven last
words as recorded in the Gospels.
The Seven Last Words of Jesus
During the three hours that Christ suffered on
the cross, He
spoke seven times. We call these "The Seven
Last Words."
pilta) "Father, forgive them; for they know not
what they are doing."
(Luke 23:34)
b) "Truly, say to you, today, you shall be with
Me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43) ENT MIH benwo
C) "Woman, behold your son... Son, behold
your mother." (John
19:26-27)
d) "My God, My God, why have You forsaken
Me?" (Matt. 27:46)
e) "I Thirst." (John 19:28) f) "It
consummated/finished." (John 10:30)
Eeg) "Father, into Your hands commit my
spirit." (Luke 23:46) Jesus then bowed His
head and gave up his spirit. (cfr. John 19:30)
Thus the Son of God died on Golgotha (a hill
called calvary, outside the city of Jerusalem)
for us sinners. "Why, one will hardly die for a
righteous man - though perhaps for a good
man, one will dare even to die. But God shows
His love for us in that while we were yet
sinners Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:7-8)
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After His death, Our Lord's body was taken
down from the cross and laid in the grave
which belonged to Joseph of Arimathea. Then
his disciples rolled up a great stone to close
the tomb.
The last plea of the Pharisees bioe art!
The chief priest and the Pharisees went in a
body to Pilate, saying: "Sir, we have
remembered how that deceiver said, while he
was yet alive, "After three days I will rise
again." Give orders, therefore, that the
sepulchre be guarded until the third day, or
else his disciples may come and steal him
away. Pilate said to them: "You have a guard;
go and guard it as well as you know how." So
they went and made the sepulchre secure,
sealing the stone, and setting the guard. (Matt.
27: 63-66).
Things we learn from the sufferings and death
of Christ
is
The passion of Jesus has eternal effects:00 w
Through his we were saved from sin and all its
consequences, and have received every grace
and gift leading to eternal life. It is Christ Jesus
"who satisfied for our sins, from whom is all our
sufficiency." (Council of Trent, Ses. 14, Nov.
25, 1551).
'This liberation won for us by Jesus in His
passion has effects even in this world.
Redemption is not only in the inner life of love
and grace. Man freed from sin can transform
this world also into a kingdom of greater
freedom, justice, and peace, into an image and
even a beginning of God's kingdom.
God has reconciled us to Himself:
"In Christ, God reconciled the world to
Himself." (2 Cor. 5:19). It is God Himself who is
always the Savior. The eternal love and power
of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit effected
man's redemption. God triumphed in Christ
winning victory over sin and satan, over the
bondage of the Old Law and of death. bob fert!
Deusd
By the sufferings of Christ, satan and sin are
vanquished: 2
Sin had reigned over man (cfr. Rom. 5: 21) and
enslaved him (Rom. 6:7). But through the
passion of Jesus, the Father set us free and
restored us to the "kingdom of His beloved
Son, in whom we have redemption, the
forgiveness of sins. " (Col. 1: 13-13). Satan,
too, was conquered. When Christ was raised
up on the cross, the power of satan was ended
(cfr. John 13:31). In Christ, the Father"
disarmed the principalities and the powers."
(Col. 2:15).
Christ's death ended the bondage of the Old
Law: Though the Law itself had been holy, it
did not bring life; for it
revealed the duty to avoid sin, but did not give
the power to do so (cfr. Rom. 7:7-25). In
Christ's redemptive work, God inaugurated the
New Law of Love and Grace. This New
Covenant indeed, requires even greater
holiness, but the gift of God's spirit makes it
possible for us to serve Him with joy and love.
(cfr. Rom. 5:5/7:4).
Bodily death was conquered by Christ's death:
Until the final resurrection, the full scope of this
victory is not seen. But even now, all death can
be, as Christ's death was not simply a tragic
evil, but a moment of supreme love and the
threshold of eternal life, (cfr. 1 Cor. 15:54-57).
Through the passion of Christ, God's great love
is revealed: The passion of Jesus reveals the
saving love of the Father.
God the Father" so loved the world that He
gave His Only Son." (John 3:16). The mercy of
God, in bringing about the incarnation,
sanctified and transformed humanity. "Our Lord
Jesus Christ... because of His immeasurable
Love became what we are, so that He might
bring us to be what He is Himself." St. Irenaeus
of Lyons, Against Heretics).
The great evil of sin: From the passion of
Christ we learn the evil that sin is, and the
hatred that God bears it.
Sin must be atoned for:
We learn, too, the necessity of satisfying for
the malice and wickedness of sin. Sin must be
a horrible thing, to make Jesus, the God-man,
suffer so much. "He was pierced for our
offenses; He was crushed for our sins. " (Is.
53:5).
The sufferings of Christ serve as our model: In
addition, the sufferings of Christ serve as an
example for us, to strengthen us under trials. If
we receive trials, we should accept them with
resignation, in imitation of Our Lords, Who
suffered so willingly for our sake. We can never
have as much suffering as He had. Every
christian should understand that the cross is
part of christian life. By Christ's cross and
resurrection, men are saved, when they lay
hold of Him through faith and love. Nothing of
christian life can be understood apart from the
cross. Anyone who wishes to grow to maturity
in christian love, to remain faithful to God, must
receive light and draw strength from His saving
passion.
Jesus taught His disciples ever to carry the
cross: "If any man should come after me, let
him deny himself and take up his cross daily
and follow Me." (Luke 9: 23). The crosses in
our daily lives, the difficulties and sufferings,
and the self-denials and sacrifices willingly
offered, are made saving and sacred by His
Holy Cross.
"Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an
example, that you should follow in His steps.
He committed no sin; no guile was found on
His lips. When He was reviled, He did not
revile in return; when He suffered, He did not
threaten; but He trusted to Him Who judges
justly. "(1 Peter 2:21-23).
Fifth Article of faith
"HE DESCENDED TO THE DEAD, THE
THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN TO LIFE"
Christ descended to the dead. By this, we
mean that after He died, His soul descended
into a place or state of rest, called " limbo"
"where the souls of the just were waiting for
Him. In the Holy Scripture, the place was called
the " Bosom of Abraham". St. Peter called it a
prison", but we called it limbo. Christ went to
limbo to announce to the souls waiting there
the joyful news that He had reopened heaven
to mankind.
While His soul was in limbo, Christ's body was
in holy sepulchre. When man dies, his soul is
separated from the body. When Jesus died,
His body and soul were separated, but His
divinity remained united to both body and soul.
Christ's body did not corrupt in the tomb. It was
there from Friday evening when He was
buried, to Sunday morning, when He arose
from the grave. This is why we say Christ rose
on the third day, although He was in the grave
for three incomplete days.
Christ resurrected from the dead
Christ rose from the dead, glorious and
immortal, on Easter Sunday, the third day after
His death. Christ Himself foretold in many
instances His own resurrection; He said to His
own body: "Destroy this temple and in three
days will raise it up. " (John 2:19). Before
entering Jerusalem He said to His Apostles
that He would be put to death and " rise again
on the third day." (Matt. 20: 19). On the night of
the last supper He said: " But after I have risen,
I will go before you into Galilee." (Matt. 26: 32).
Christ rose by His own Power
Faithful to the message of Scripture, the
Church teaches both that the Father raised
Jesus from the dead and that Jesus rose by
His
own power. "God raised Him up." (Acts 2:24).
"I lay down my life that may take it again... I
have the power to take it again". (John 10: 17-
18).
It was by the power of God that the humanity of
Jesus was raised from the dead. This power of
the one God belongs to the Father and the Son
equally. When the resurrection is seen as the
seal of the Father's approval, the glorification of
Jesus' humanity is viewed as the work of the
Father; when it was seen as a manifestation of
Jesus' divine power and personality, it is
viewed as an act of the Son Himself.
Significance of the Resurrection
The resurrection of Jesus plays a central part
in the life of faith, for it does not only confirm
the Church's faith, but it is also the central
mystery through which God calls us to life. The
hope to which we are born in coming to faith is
a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead." (1 Peter 1:3).
St. Paul makes the point in stark terms: "If
Christ had not been raised, your faith is futile
and you are still in your sins. Then those also
who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
" (1 Cor. 15: 14/17 18).
The resurrection of Jesus, then, is the
foundation of the christian life of faith, prayer,
and spiritual growth. It is the pledge of the
resurrection of our bodies, for Christ conforms
the faithful to His own image and leads them to
share in His glory. Jesus' resurrection and
glorification provide the basis for our hope and
faith in the immortal life of our bodies after the
final resurrection at the end of time.
Sixth Article of faith
"HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN AND SITS
AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER."
Christ ascended into Heaven
The Easter mystery approaches its culmination
in the ascension of Jesus. After His
appearances here on earth in His risen body,
and ' after He had given commandment
through the Holy Spirit to the Apostles whom
He had chosen (Acts 1:2), Jesus was lifted up,
and a cloud took Him out of their sight." (Acts
1:9). He ascended with the flesh in which He
had risen and with His soul. This even took
place from the Mount of Olives in the presence
of His Apostles in full daylight. (cfr. Luke
24:51).
Jesus ascended into Heaven, but He has not
abandoned us. He goes to the Father as the
eternal High Priest," able for all times to save
those who draw God through Him, since He
always lives to make intercession for them. "
(Heb. 7: 25). Though He deprives us of His
visible presence for a time that He might send
the gift of the Spirit (cfr. John 16:7). Christ will
be with the Church always (cfr. Matt. 28:20).
He is present in the Church's life of faith and
prayer, and especially in the sacramental
meetings with His glorified body. He is present
also in our daily life of charity.
Christ Himself will remain with us through the
gift of the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit of truth
comes, He will guide you into all the truths...
He will glorify Me, for He will take what is Mine
and declare it to you." (John 16:13-14).
Christ sits at the right hand of the Father
By this article of faith, we mean that Our Lord
as God, is equal to the Father, and that as
Man, He shares above all the saints in the
glory of His Father, and exercises for all
eternity the supreme authority of a King; over
all creatures. To sit at the right hand of
anybody is a mark of honor from that person.
"Sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies
your footstool." (cfr. Psalm 109: 1).
sa ybodyne Seventh Article of faith o soy is lit
bar frign into ti nededmont onor
"FROM THERE, HE WILL COME TO JUDGE
THE LIVING AND THE DEAD"
'When the Son of Man comes in His glory...
before Him will be gathered all the nations, and
He will separate them one from another as a
shepherd separates the sheep from the
goats... Then the King will say to those at the
right hand, "Come, ye, O blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world. "(Matt. 25:31-34).
The General Judgement

The general judgement will not be simply a
collective summing up of all the particular and
individual judgements of men after their
deaths, for this last judgement will be far more
than a judicial passing of sentence upon the
good and the wicked. In and through this
judgement God will establish the heavenly
community, the ultimate stage of His kingdom.
In judging, He will bring all to completion.
There, men will be judged by their deeds of
love. "I was hungry and you gave me food; was
thirsty and you gave me drink..." (Matt. 25:35).
Men will be judged according to their
relationship with Christ. Not only those who
knew Him explicitly in the light of clear faith, but
all men, at least in obscure but real ways, are
affected in this life by His saving power. He
invites all men to respond freely to His saving
love, and He invited all to life. To love Him is to
keep and observe the great command of
LOVE, to love God with the whole heart and to
love the neighbor in whom He dwells. At the
last judgement, then, each men will be judged
by the love he has shown Christ in our midst.
Jesus Christ is our Judge
It is God who judges. The final judgement of all
men will be shared in by the Three Divine
Persons of the Holy Trinity, each in a way
befitting His role in redemption. Because it is
through the Incarnate Word that the Blessed
Trinity has saved us, it is Christ as man who is
presented as the supreme Judge of men. "He
is the One ordained by God to be judge of the
living and the dead." (Acts 10:42). This will be
the crowning act of Christ as Saviour. Through
it, He will complete His work as Redeemer,
because through it, He will bring about His
Father's will that all might be made one, that
they might be gathered into the final kingdom.
Christ's goodness will shine in the
condemnation of those who have rejected God,
who have said "no" to the love that is the
center and crown of existence, who have
refused to build up the kingdom of justice,
mercy, and peace. Christ's just sentence will
recognized and confirm their own deliberate
and definitive rejection of God.
His holiness will be exalted by the manifest
fairness of His condemnation of those who
have freely chosen not to respond to that love
which called them to a life to which they could
come only freely. The condemned will be
bitterly aware that it was they themselves who
have freely rejected the saving offer of mercy
of their Lord and Master.
On the other hand, all who accepted Christ will
fully realize that which cannot now be
comprehended: "No eye has seen, nor ear
heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what
God has prepared for those who love Him," (1
Cor. 2:9).
Eighth Article of faith
"I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT"
"We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the
Giver of life, Who proceeds from the Father
and the Son. " (Roman Missal, Profession of
Faith). The Holy Spirit is the third Divine
Person of the Blessed Trinity, truly and
eternally God, equal to the Father and the Son.
He is the Paraclete, the Counselor that Christ
promised the Apostles would be given" to be
with you forever. " (John 14:16).
Christ often spoke of the Holy Spirit
One of the most solemn occasions of which
Christ spoke of the Holy Spirit was when He
charged the Apostles to: " Go, therefore, and
make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father, and the Son, and the
Holy Spirit," (Matt. 28: 19).
On certain occasions, the Holy Spirit appeared
in visible form. When Christ was baptized by
John the Baptist in the River Jordan, the Holy
Spirit appeared in the form of a dove. On
Pentecost Day, the Holy Spirit descended with
a mighty rushing wind, and rested upon the
Apostles in the form of tongues of fire.
These signs are symbolic of the action of the
Holy Spirit. The form of a dove symbolizes the
gentleness with which the Holy Spirit works in
our souls. The rush of wind represents the
strengthening of the will. The fire represents
seal, fervor and the illumination of the mind.
The mission of the Holy Spirit
The mission of the Holy Spirit for salvation
history is summarized in the following words of
the Second Vatican Council:
a) "When the work which the Father had given
the Son to do on earth (cfr. John 17:4) was
completed, the Holy Spirit was sent on the day
of Pentecost in order that He might forever
sanctify the Church, and thus believers would
have access to the Father through Christ in the
one Spirit." (cfr. Eph. 2:18)
b) He is the Spirit of Life, a fountain of water
springing up to eternal life. (cfr. John 4:14/7:38-
39). Through Him the Father gives life to man
who are dead from sin, will at last revives them
in Christ even their mortal bodies. (cfr. Rom
8:10-11)
c) The Holy Spirit dwells in the Church and in
the hearts of the faithful as in a temple (cfr. 1
Cor 16/6:19) In them, He prays and bears
witness to the fact they are adopted sons of
God (cfr. Gal. 4:6/ Rom. 8:15-16)
d) The Holy Spirit guides the Church into the
fullness of truth (cfr. John 16:13) and gives her
a unity of fellowship and service. He furnishes
and directs her with hierarchical and
charismatic gifts, and adorns her with His fruits
(cfr. Eph. 4:11-12)
e) By the power of the Gospels, the Holy Spirit
makes the Church keep the freshness of youth,
perpetually renews her, and leads her to
perfect union with her Spouse (Christ). The
Spirit and the Bride say to the Lord Jesus,
"Come" (cfr. Rev. 22:17/ Lumen Gentium, 4)
In honor of the Holy Spirit, Pentecost Sunday is
dedicated to the celebration of the descent of
the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. Pentecost
Sunday occurs ten days after Ascension
Thursday, fifty days after Easter Sunday,
Pentecost means fiftieth
Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit: The seven gifts
of the Holy Spirit are: wisdom, understanding,
counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of
the Lord. Some of the effects in us of the gifts
of the Holy Spirit are the fruits of the Holy Spirit
and the beatitudes.
The twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit are: charity,
joy, peace, patience, benignity, good ness,
long-suffering, mildness, faith, modesty,
continency, and chastity.
The eight beatitudes are:
1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs in the
kingdom of heaven.
2. Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess
the earth.
3. Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall
be comforted.
4. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for
justice, for they shall be satisfied.
5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall
obtain mercy. 6. Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they shall see God.
7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall
be called children of God.
8. Blessed are they who suffer persecution for
justice's sake, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven.
Ninth Article of faith
"I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC
CHURCH, THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS"
Jesus Christ founded the Church
All history, religious and non-religious,
including the Holy Bible, clearly prove that
Jesus founded a Church. After teaching
publicly what He required all to believe and
practice, thereby announcing the main doctrine
of his Church, Christ gathered a number of
disciples. From them He choose twelve to
whom He gave special instruction and training.
After training them to form the organization of
His Church, Christ choose Simon Peter, and
made him the chief. After the resurrection, He
said to Peter: "Feed My lambs... Feed My
Sheep." (John 21:15,17)
Christ completed the founding of His Church
just before His ascension into heaven when He
said to His apostles: "Go into the whole world,
and preach the Gospel to every creature."
(Mark 16:15)
Finally, Christ promised to remained for all time
in the church He founded saying: "Behold, I am
with you all days, even unto the consummation
of the world." (Matt. 28:20) after the Pentecost
Sunday, the Apostles begun to carry out their
mission. Through them and their successors,
this mission of making disciples of all nations
continues and will continue to the end of the
world.
The Church of Christ
It is the congregation of all baptized persons
united in the same true faith, the same
sacrifice, and the same sacraments, under the
authority of the Sovereign Pontiff and the
Bishops in communion with him. As the visible
society, it is perfect religious body. All
members are subject to the same religious
authority, possess identical religious doctrines,
and make use of the same means of grace, -
the sacraments. A person becomes a member
of the church upon the reception of the
sacrament of Baptism.
Jesus Christ founded only ONE Church
As God is one, He established one Church,
which He commanded all men to obey and to
follow in the way of salvation. Christ never
referred to His Churches, but to His Church.
He chose only one Head for His Church. Peter
could not have been the Head of conflicting
churches.
Christ, even in His prayers, spoke of unity
among His followers. There would evidently be
no unity if He had founded many different
churches.
The Marks of the True Church
We can know which is the one true Church
established by Christ, by the marks provided
by Him to recognize His Church. It is important
for us to know which is the Church founded by
Christ, in order that we may obey it, as God
commands. Then shall we also be certain what
to believe and do in order to be saved.
The true Church must be that which Christ
personally founded, and the Apostles
propagated. It must have existed continuously
since the time of Christ. It must teach in their
entirely all the doctrines taught by the Divine
Founder while He was still on earth; and all its
members must profess those fundamental
doctrines.
Moreover, it must be a visible organization,
discernible and discoverable, evidently
existing, with clear marks or signs
distinguishing it as the Church founded by
Christ.
The Church of Christ Is ONE
Christ's Church is one in the faith its members
believe and profess. It has an essential unity of
worship. All are united to one saving sacrifice
of Christ in the Holy Eucharist, and eat of the
one bread that unites all in Christ. They receive
the same sacraments. There is also a unity in
our communion with other parts of the Church
throughout the world. The "local churches"
(dioceses), each under its own bishop, are
united in a common allegiance to the Pope,
who is a sign and servant of unit. It is a living
unity, springing spontaneously from the gifts of
Christ's grace.
The Church of Christ is HOLY
The creed proclaims that the Church is holy.
This holiness is to be found first of all in its
Founder, Jesus Christ. From Him and from the
Holy Spirit, comes all holiness. Because of
Him, the doctrine that the Church teaches is
holy; it remains unchangeably His doctrines.
The Church's worship is holy; and the
sacraments it administers to the members of
the Church make it possible for them to live a
truly holy christian lives.
The Church invites all to a holy life. (cfr. Lumen
Gentium, 39 42). In this, it has remained
constant despite the many sins of its members.
Wherever the Catholic Faith is lived sincerely,
Christ brings forth fruits of holiness. Without
ignoring the scandals and sins of some of the
Church's members, we can say in all
confidence that there is holiness in the Church
because so many of its members have shown
prominent holiness, even to the point of
martyrdom. There is such holiness in the
Church in the present age as in ages past.
Possibly, no era of Christian history has been
as blessed as the present one by so many
faithful who witness the faith in suffering, and in
suffering even unto death. These are the
modern martyrs of the Church.
The Church of Christ is CATHOLIC
(UNIVERSAL)
The word "catholic" comes from the Greek
word katolikos" which means " universal". The
Catholic Church is a Church for all people in all
places and in all times. The injunction of Christ
is very clear: " Go, therefore, and make
disciples of all nations.
(Matt. 28: 19). "Go into the whole world, and
preach the Gospel to every creature." (Mark
16: 15). "And the Gospel of the kingdom shall
be preached in the whole world for a witness to
all nations; and then will come the end." (Matt.
24: 14).
Moreover, the Church is universal in the sense
that it continues to teach all of what Christ
taught. And it regards itself as obliged by Christ
to teach that doctrine to all men.
The Church Of Christ is APOSTOLIC
Finally, the Church is Apostolic. It is the same
community as the Church of the apostolic age.
Christ founded His Church on the Apostles.
They in turn had successors. The Church is
apostolic because it continues to be governed
by such successors. It is apostolic also
because it teaches the same doctrines and
way of life as the Apostles taught.
When we call the Church Apostolic, we mean
that the teaching of Jesus Christ, which was
first preached to the world by the Apostles, and
the Christian community in which that apostolic
faith has lived and grown, continue to have
their existence in Catholic Church, edmam
By these four marks, we come to know that no
other Church but the Catholic Church is the
true Church of Christ, because no other
Church has these four marks. No other Church
is ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC and APOSTOLIC.
Each of these marks is so linked to the other
that one cannot be separated from them. Each
mark is so joined with the others that all of
them form one coherent and interrelated idea
of what Christ's Church is and what it must be.
For example, the unity of the Church is more
remarkable because it is a catholic unity, that
is, a unity of faith, a unity of hope, and a unity
of charity in all places and ages; it is an
apostolic unity, guarding the one faith first
proclaimed by the Apostles, and it is a unity
ministering to holiness of life.
The Mission of the Church
Jesus Christ founded the Church to bring all
men to salvation. Our Lord gave to the Church
a threefold office:
a) The office of a Teacher
b) The office of a Sanctifier, and
c) The office of a Ruler.
By these offices, Christ intended His Church to
accomplish the purpose for which He founded
it - the salvation of all men. Thus the Church is
assured to be able to accomplish the mission
through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
The Office of a Teacher
Christ committed to the Apostles the task of
preaching His word in His name, that is,
authentically. He assured them of the
assistance of the Holy Spirit who would guard
them in all truth in speaking. (cfr. John 14:15).
He commanded them to teach His word to all
nations, binding men to the duty of believing
their words as the word of God ( and thus
implicitly promising that He would make those
He called to faith able to recognize Him in His
spokesmen), and He promised to be with them
in their preaching until the end of time (cfr.
Matt. 29:20).
In their preaching the Apostles had special
gifts. Not only did the Spirit guard them in
keeping the word of Jesus that they had heard
from Him, but He also enriched their
possession and grasp of sacred truths.
The Office of a Sanctifier
During the life of Christ, He dispensed the
means of grace, as when He forgave Mary
Magdalene, and when He gave His flesh and
blood at the last Supper. He appointed the
Church to continue this office to sanctify the
faithful by administering the fruits of Christ's
sacrifice on the cross to all men until the end of
the world. With this office, we can easily
understand why Christ gave His Apostles, and
those who were to follow them the power to
bind and to loose, to baptize, to forgive sin, and
to offer Holy Mass.
The Office of a Ruler
The Church founded by Christ is a visible
organization, with the Apostles as superiors
and rulers. From the very beginning, they
exercised their authority and powers. They did
not only advise, but they gave directions as
superiors, and they made decisions as judges.
It is in Christ that all authority of the Church
natively dwells. "Al authority in heaven and on
earth has been given to Me." (cfr. Matt. 28 :18).
Because Christ is strong and merciful in His
possession of authority, He chose to exercise it
through men. He appointed the Church to rule
with authority, saying: "Whatever you shall bind
on earth shall be bound also in heaven, " (cfr.
Matt. 18: 18). "Go therefore, and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them...
teaching them to observe all that have
commanded you; and behold, am with you
always, until the consummation of the world.
(Matt. 28: 19-20).
The Hierarchy in the Church
The Church is a hierarchical community by the
will of Christ. A hierarchy is a sacred
leadership. It is the orderly disposition of the
ranks and order of the clergy with ordinary
jurisdiction", the teaching Church", and the
ruling body- an army of leaders under a head,
the Vicar of Christ, having care and control of
the holy and sacred affairs of the Church.
Persons become members of the hierarchy in
two different ways:
By the Power of Orders
It is given by the sacrament of Holy Orders. It
is the power to sanctify, a permanent spiritual
power that no earthly authority can take away.
III) The Patriarch: He is a bishop who holds the
highest rank after the Pope, in jurisdiction.
IV) The Archbishop: He is the head of an
archdiocese composed of several dioceses. He
is addressed as "YOUR EXCELLENCY"
IV) The Bishop: He governs a diocese, and he
is also addressed as " YOUR EXCELLENCY".
VI) Prelate Nullius: He governs a prelature
separated any diocese. He is addressed as
"MOST REVEREND".
VII) Abbot: He governs an abbacy.
VIII) Apostolic Visitor: He is usually a
temporary head of a vacant jurisdiction
IX) Vicar Apostolic: He is always a bishop and
is a head of a Vicariate.
X) Prefect Apostolic: He is not a bishop and he
governs a prefecture.
XI) Ecclesiastical Superior: He is a head of a
mission "sui juris - an independent although
small territory.
XII) Legates, Nuncios, Internuncios, and
Apostolic Delegates: These are
representatives of the Pope. Having ordinary or
extraordinary jurisdiction from the Supreme
Pontiff. They are members of the hierarchy.
A legate is usually a cardinal sent for
extraordinary occasions, as to preside at a
Plenary Council, an International Eucharistic
Congress or some special occasions.
A nuncio is the highest diplomatic
representative of the Pope. His ranking is
equivalent to that of an ambassador
extraordinary. Today nuncios are the deans of
the diplomatic corps accredited to their
respective nations.
An internuncio is equivalent to a minister
plenipotentiary.
An Apostolic Delegate is a papal
representative without diplomatic status. They
serve as intermediary between the Holy See
and the hierarchy of the country where they are
stationed. He ranks first among all the
archbishops and bishops of the country, with
the exception of the cardinals.
XIII) Titular Bishops and Archbishops: These
are those who hold the title of a See that
formerly existed. Usually, they do not have but
a delegated jurisdiction.
XIV) Auxiliary and Coadjutor Bishops: They are
titular bishops appointed to assist in the
administration of a diocese. Coadjutors are
given the right of succession to the residential
bishop.
XV) Pastors and Priests: Although they belong
to the hierarchy in the power of orders, they
are not prelates in the strict sense of the term,
for they have very limited jurisdiction in the
external forum of ruling the Church.
XVI) Honorary Prelates: They are those given
the honor as a distinction for their works and
zeal in the promotion of the Church's welfare.
XVII) Protonotary Apostolic, Domestic Prelate
and Papal Chamberlain: These are titles given
to priest for the same reason. The first two are
entitled " Right Reverend " and the third " Very
Reverend".
The Laity (The People of God)
The Second Vatican Council chose especially
to speak of the Church as the "People of God".
The Church is not an abstraction, and it
certainly, is not merely a group of all the
officials of the family of faith. We are all
together the Church, all blessed with gifts of
the Holy Spirit.
Pope, bishops, religious, priests, laymen, and
members of every degree and vocation, all
gathered together in Christ, are the Church.
We, all, are Christ's people, though each of us
has some special call - a particular mission
with its own responsibilities and functions, still
all together in Christ make up a single, united
people. All received the same Spirit in baptism,
all are nourished with the one Eucharistic
Bread, all share in the same hope of our
calling.
The laity of the Church are all its members who
do not belong to the clerical or to the religious
state. After baptism, we received our
membership in the Church. We become part of
the Church. Unless one cuts himself off by
heresy, apostasy or excommunication, even a
catholic sinner continues to be a member of
the Church. Those in mortal sin remain united
by faith and hope, but not by charity.
The Mission of the Laity
Every Christian has a mission. That is to say,
every Christian is called by God to some
particular way of carrying out the one great
service of love. All believers are called by
Christ to assist in healing a world marred in
many ways by sin, and to establish a temporal
order based on justice and love, according to
their own particular skills and the actual There is only One Mystical Body, only one
circumstances in which they find themselves. Church which contains three portions: a) The
"There are varieties of gifts, but the same Church Triumphant: This is composed of the
Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the saints
same Lord." (1 Cor. 12:4-5).
Each believer must be an active witness to
and angels in heaven because they have
God and the faith. His principal duties as a
already gained the crown of victory. b) The
witness to the faith are twofold:
Church Suffering: This is composed by the
a) to carry the words of life to those who are to souls in purgatory because they still have to
believe and have no other way of coming to expiate their sins which were already forgiven,
them. (cfr. Rom. 10: 14), and before they can enter heaven.
b) to testify to those words by his words and
actions. The more actively one testifies to
c) The Church Militant: This is composed by
those words becomes an apostle - perhaps as
the faithful on earth because they have to
a writer, or teacher, or as a parent or in some
struggle ceaselessly against the enemies if
other capacity -the more important it is, that
their souls.
one's work be rooted in the obedience of faith,
in full openness and assent to what Christ
constantly teaches in His Church.
The members of the communion of saints help
The laity and the Temporal one another by prayers and intercessions, and
by merits of their good works. Through the
To care for the temporal order is to care for the
communion of saints, the blessed in heaven
goods of life of the family, for culture and
can help those in purgatory and those on earth
business, for the arts and professions, for
by praying for them. The faithful on earth
political and social institutions. This order
should honor the blessed in heaven and pray
requires constant improvement. It must be
to them, because they are worthy of honor and
founded on truth, built on justice, and animated
as friends of God will help the faithful on earth.
by love." (C. S. 26). Immediate concern for the
The souls in purgatory pray to the angels and
temporal order is the proper concern of
saints, and pray for the living, but they cannot
laymen, because it requires all the knowledge,
merit anything for themselves. The faithful on
skills and insight they acquire and exercise in
earth, through the communion of saints, can
their varied secular tasks. Every christian then,
relieve the sufferings of the souls in purgatory
according to the circumstances of his particular
by prayer, fasting and good works, by
situation, has a duty to try to shape the world in
indulgences, and by having Mass offered in
accord with justice and charity.
their behalf.

The Communion of Saints

The faithful on earth as members of the
Mystical Body of Christ, can help one another
by practicing supernatural charity, and
By the communion of saints, we mean the
especially, by performing the spiritual and
union of the faithful on earth, the blessed in
corporal works of mercy.
heaven, and the souls in purgatory, with Christ
in their head.
The doctrine of the communion of saints is one
of the most Consoling dogmas of the Church.
When our love ones die, they are not
completely separated from us forever. Whether
in heaven or in purgatory, they still love us and
pray for us.
Tenth Article of faith
"I BELIEVE IN THE FORGIVENESS OF
SINS."
This article of faith means that God has given
to church, throug Jesus Christ, the power to
forgive sins, no matter how great or how many
they are, if the sinner truly repent.
During life Christ actually forgave sins for
example He forgave Mary magdalene, a
paralytic and the good theft. In curing the
paralytic He said: "But that you may know that
the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive
sins, arise, take up thy palette and go to thy
house (Matt 9:6)
Christ gave to His apostles and disciples and
their successor powers to forgive sins. He said:
"Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sing you shall
forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins
you shall retain, they are retained." (John
20:22-23)
It is true, as the enemies of the Catholic
Church asserts that man cannot forgive sins.
Man, by his own individual power can never
forgive even the smallest sin. But he can
forgive all sins with the power and authority
God gave him, as minister of God, acting in
God's place Or is God limited because is
sinful? "These things I write to you in order that
you may not sin. But if anyone sins, we have
an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the
Just." (1 John 2:1)
Aside from the sacrament of Penance, there
are other ways by which sins can be forgiven,
by the sacrament of baptism, the anointing of
the sick, martyrdom and good works. All these
presupposes the inner disposition of the sinner
who is truly repentant and has the firm purpose
of amendment
All sins, however great, can be forgiven,
through the infinite ments of Christ He gained
through His passion, death, and resurrection
God is always ready to forgive our sins, no
matter how great or how many they are, if we
are truly sorry for them. No actual sin can be
forgiven without sincere sorrow and
repentance on the part of the sinner
The sin against the Holy Spirit of which Christ
warned us is the sin of persistent impenitence,
the sin of one who rejects conversion and dies
in that state. This sin could not be forgiven in
heaven or on earth because at the hour of
death, the sinner continues to thrust god away
from him.
Eleventh Article of faith "I BELIEVE IN THE
RESURRECTION OF THE BODY."
"It is appointed for men to die once, and after
that comes judgement." (cfr. Hebrews 9:27)
Earthly life can be made rich with Christ's
presence. Through the sacraments and works
of love, our lives are penetrated by Christ's life.
Still, though Christ is present to us with the
Father and the Holy Spirit, the divine presence
remains veiled. For in this life "we walk by faith,
not by sight." (cfr. 2 cor. 5:7) The gifts of grace
give joy and energy, but also a thirst for
fulfillment in ways not now possible.

At the end of time, when Christ will come to
pass judgement on all men, and when those
who have died will rise again, the redemption
of man will be brought to completion. But this
world, and this time of trial, ends for each man
with the coming of death.
Death has many meanings for the christian. In
a sense, death is entirely natural. "There is 'a
time to be born, and a time to die." (Eccl. 3:2)
Our lives are measure by time, in which we
change, we grow old, and death seems even
appropriate after a full life. "And the dust
returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit
returns to god who gave it." (cfr. Eccl. 12:7)
The natural reality of death gives an urgency to
our lives. The remembrance that we are mortal
serves also to remind us that we have but a
limited time in which to shape good and
meaningful lives. In the christian sense, death
is the penalty for sin. "As sin came into the
world through one man and death through sin,
and so death spread to all men because all
men sinned." (Rom 5:12). Because of sin man
suffers "bodily death, from which man would
been immuned had he not sinned." (GS. 18)
Death, then, appears to us not merely as a
liberator from burden and limitations of earthly
life, but as something fearful, the last enemy
that will be destroyed by the all-embracing
redemption of Christ. For death is more than a
passing on to another land and to another
mode of life. We are not merely souls, we are
beings of flesh and blood. To die is to lose the
fullness of our being, which we love, it is to be
dissolved. (cfr. 2 cor. 5:14).
The Hour of Death
No one knows when, where, or how he will die.
All we know is that we shall die, and that when
our hour strikes, nobody can take our place.
God has mercifully hidden from us the hour of
our death. If we knew when we should die, we
might be overcome by fear when the moment
approaches. Some, besides, might lead sinful
lives in the hope of repenting just before their
death.
One must, therefore, always be ready to die,
for death comes "like a thief in the night," when
we least expect it. We must live as if every
moment were the last fraction of a second of
life, always ready to appear before our divine
Judge. The best way to prepare ourselves for a
good death is to lead a good life, doing good,
and avoiding sin.
The Particular Judgement
As soon as each soul leaves the body at death,
it undergoes the "particular judgement," at
which its eternal destiny is decided. "We must
be all manifested at the judgement seat of
Christ." "It is appointed unto men to die once,
but after that comes judgement." (Heb. 9:27)
"Every one of us will render an account of
himself to god." (Rom. 14:12)
Jesus Christ is the Judge at the Particular
Judgement. Before him, each soul must stand.
The soul will stand in the awesome presence
of God the Son, to give an account of its whole
life, of every thought, word, action, and
omission. A man's whole life will be spread
before him like a great picture.
He will remember everything, although he
might have forgotten much at the moment of
death. How he will wish then that he had done
only good. We are not to suppose that the soul
will go to heaven befor Christ to before Christ
in order to be judged. God enlightens each
soul in such a manner that it fully knows Christ
has passed a true judgement on it. This
sentence is final and will never be reversed
The soul then, will learn the sentence, the
reasons for it, and its absolute justice.
Reward or Punishment
The rewards or punishments appointed for
men after the particular judgement are heaven,
purgatory, or hell. "With what measure you
measure, it shall be measured unto you." (Matt.
7:12) As we have loved God and our
fellowmen during life, so we shall be given the
proper reward or punishment.
a) He who dies in his baptismal innocence, or
after having fully satisfied for all the sins he
committed, will be sent at once to heaven "The
just will go into everlasting life." (Matt. 25:46)
"And there shall not enter into if anything
defiled." (Apoc. 21:27)
b) He who dies in the state of grace, but is in
venial sin, or has not yet fully atoned for the
temporal punishment due his forgiven sins. will
be sent for a time to purgatory.
c) He who dies in mortal sin, even if only with
one single mortal sin, will be sent at once to
hell. "Yes, the hope of the wicked...is like
smoke scattered by the win, and like passing
memory of the nomad camping for a single
day." (Wisdom 5:14) By mortal sin a man cuts
himself off from god. It is really he himself that
sends himself to hell. God's desire would be to
see all His creatures with Him in his Kingdom
The Resurrection of the Body
By this article of faith is meant that at the end
of the world, the bodies of all men will rise from
the earth, to which they are committed after
death, and be united again to their souls, never
more to be separated. This teaching was often
foretold by Our Lord himself. "For the hour is
coming in which all who are in the tombs shall
hear the voice of the Son of God. And they
who have done good shall come forth unto
resurrection of life, but they who have done
evil, unto resurrection of judgement." (John
5:28-29) He also said that the Blessed
Sacrament gives immortality also to the body.
"He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has life everlasting and I will raise him up"
(John 6:55) Christ redeemed the whole
man, and not the soul alone. Hence, the body
must, in the case of the just, rise to eternal life.
The body of man was originally destined for
immortality, and lost it only with Adam's sin.
"As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be
made to live." (1 Cor. 4:14) "He who raised up
Jesus will raise us up also with Jesus." (2 Cor.
4:14) "Our Lord Jesus Christ will refashion the
body of our lowliness." (Phil. 3:21)
In the final resurrection, our risen bodies will be
the same bodies we had on earth. Each will
rise as the same person he was, in the same
flesh made living by the same spirit. But
Christ's resurrection from the dead is the
pattern of our own rising to life.
The risen body will be radiant and beautiful, if it
is of a just person. It will have the qualities of
Our Lord's risen body, characterized by:
a) Impassability - the risen body will no longer
be subjected to pain, disease, death, hunger,
thirst, fatigue, sleep, heat or cold. "And god will
wipe away every tear from their eyes. And
death shall be no more, neither shall there be
mourning, nor weeping." (Apoc. 21:4) b)
Brightness - the risen body will shine with great
radiance and glory. "Then the just will shine
forth like the sun, in the kingdom of
their Father." (Matt. 13:43) c) Agility - the risen
body is enabled to pass with the quickness of
thought to all parts of the universe.
d) Subtility - this quality will enable the risen
body to penetrate material substances, just like
our Lord, Who arose from the tomb and
entered the Cenacle while doors and windows
were barred. "What is sown a natural body will
rise a spiritual body." (1 Cor. 15:44) The nsen
body of the just, united to the soul, will remain
in heaven forever, to glory in the presence of
and in union with God.
The bodies of the damned will also rise, to
share in the eternal punishment of their souls.
They will appear hideous and repulsive,
horrible to behold, and they will remain
condemned in hell forever. Their companions
are other wicked souls and the devils.
Twelfth Article of faith "I BELIEVE IN THE LIFE
EVERLASTING."
By "everlasting life", we mean that there will be
another existence after this present life, and it
is the just will be happy for all eternity. This is
heaven - the fulfillment of our hope.
To enter the kingdom of heaven is not simply
to go to a particular place. Heaven is more a
way of being or a state of being, a sharing in
the divine life and joy, that is a place. Still, for
human beatitude, place is not entirely
irrelevant. Jesus was risen bodily, and where
His living humanity is, it is good for those who
love Him to be. We do not know where heaven
is, but we do know that God is able to provide
for the bodily creatures He has made a
splendor to adorn their glorious life in Him.
The scriptural expectation of "new heavens
and a new earth" seem to suggest that in the
age to come the whole renewed universe will
be heaven to those who have loved God and
dwell in His light. The Church in its teaching on
heaven, however, is not concerned with any
particular theories of space and time. It does
not teach, for example, that all place that are
real are part of an indefinitely large space, and
that heaven is some finite distance from here.
It makes no effect to locate heaven. But it
teaches that God is real, and life in Him is real,
that the risen Christ is real, and that it is the joy
of His people to be with Him.
To enter heaven is to reach the fullness of life
for man. Even here, in this present life, we
share in divine life by faith, hope, and charity.
But our eternal life in time is only a seed, a
promise, it imperfectly expressed and points us
toward that fullness of life we shall have in
heaven. Then, when faith is no more, because
we shall see God as he is, and when we no
longer hope, because the promise of God will
be completely fulfilled, and when we love with
a gladness no one will take from us, then we
shall live with the fullness of eternal life for
which Heaven will be a life of interpersonal
love. Our being will not b we were created
dissolved from its personal autonomy and
individuality into some va divine substance. We
shall remain persons, personally sharing the
intense love of the personal God. Thus,
scripture speaks often o eternal life under the
image of joyful personal celebration of a
banque and often as a wedding feast (cfr. Matt.
22:1-4), and Christ is presen as the
bridegroom. Persons and personal love
endures forever. (c
While we will become like god in the splendor
of His gifts in 1 Cor 13.8) seeing Him and
loving him, God remains forever God and we
wi always be His creatures. No shadowy
pantheism will dilute the joy of eternal thanks
and gladness before God.
"The throne of God and of the Lamb of God
shall be in it, and His servants shall worship
Him, they shall see His face, and His name
shall be on their foreheads. And night shall be
no more, they need no light nor lamp or sun,
for the lord God will be their light, and they shal
reign forever and ever." (Apoc. 22:3-5)
God is our Happiness
Those who enter heaven will enjoy every
manner of blessing but the heart of their joy will
be the possession of God Himself -- Beatific
Vision. "Nevertheless, I am continually with
you, you hold my right hand. You guide me
with your counsel, and afterward you will
receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven
but you? And there is nothing upon earth that I
desire besides you... But God is the strength of
my heart and my portion forever." (Psalm
73:23-26).
Eternal life is possessing God perfectly. No
longer shall we see Him by faith, but we shall
see him "face to face." (1 Cor. 13:12) Those
who enter eternal life "see the divine essence
intuitively and face to face, with no creature
acting as a medium of vision for what they see,
but with the divine essence showing itself to
them plainly clearly, and openly, and by so
grasping and rejoicing in the immediately,
present reality of god they are "truly happy and
have life and eternal rest." (Pope Benedict XII,
Const. Benedictus Deus). The Happiness and
Joys of Heaven
The heavenly reward is given according to the
goodness of the life each led here on earth. In
the same measure as we have loved God., He
will reward us. However, each will be
completely and supremely happy, because
each will receive according to the fullness of
his capacity. "There is one glory of man, and
another glory of the moon, and another of the
stars." (1 Cor. 15:41)
In the same way, after joining the souls at the
resurrection, the bodies will differ in brilliancy
and beauty as stars differ from one another in
glory, but all will be perfect. Yet, among the
blessed there will be no envy. As St. Francis of
Sales said: "Two children received from their
mother each a piece of cloth to make a dress.
The smallest child will not envy her biggest
sister who received a bigger piece, but still be
quite satisfied with the one that fits her.
The degree of glory of the blessed in heaven
will neither be added to nor diminished for all
eternity. They will remain eternally happy. "And
night shall be no more, and they shall have no
need of light or lamp, or light of sun, for the
Lord God will shed light upon them; and they
shall reign forever and ever." (Apoc. 22:3-5)
The meaning of the word "AMEN"
By the word "Amen" with which we end the
Apostles' creed, is meant 'so it is' or 'so be it',
which word expresses our firm belief in all the
doctrines that the Creed contains.
Our Lord often used the word "Amen,"
especially as a solemn positive affirmation:
"Amen, amen, I say to thee, unless a man be
born I say to you, you shall see heaven
opened, and the angels of God again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3).
"Amen, amen, ascending and descending upon
the Son of Man." (John 1:51).